BEST brush I have come across for long haired cats

I have a couple long haired cats and have purchased a number of brushes over the years NONE OF WHICH could get through their thick coats which resulted in mats forming.

I recently purcahsed a rake brush for long haired cats and dogs at Zehrs (yes- Zehrs Food Store!). It was $4.99 and since then I have brushed out (no lies!) over a grocery bag full of hair from my cats!! I use this daily and am constantly getting out loose hair and it makes the cats coats so shiney and smooth and best of all it has reduced the number of mats!

I have seen these brushes in pet stores for triple the price! If you have a cat with long hair you will LOVE this brush and for $4.99 you can't go wrong!

As long as the brush has teeth in it like a comb, that's fine on a longhair. But if its the normal brush its almost useless on a longhair. That's why I recommend using a fine toothed and medium toothed comb for them

Yep, Yep! Combs are always better because they get down to the skin. For long hairs, it's best to start with a medium to wide toothed comb so there is no pulling and stretching of the hair. As it becomes easier to comb through the coat, then you can switch to a finer toothed comb.

Yep, Yep! Combs are always better because they get down to the skin. For long hairs, it's best to start with a medium to wide toothed comb so there is no pulling and stretching of the hair. As it becomes easier to comb through the coat, then you can switch to a finer toothed comb.

Oh I didn't know that, is that even if there are no mats?

Matilda HATES being brushed and I've been trying to use the Furminator on her as long as I can get her to stand it (so like, 30 seconds) and then I follow it with a regular slicker brush (is that what those things are called?)

Matilda HATES being brushed and I've been trying to use the Furminator on her as long as I can get her to stand it (so like, 30 seconds) and then I follow it with a regular slicker brush (is that what those things are called?)

I will try a comb...

Yes, absolutely! If you were to ask anyone who shows cats or a serious breeder, they would tell you they use combs only. And cats hate pulling on the fur since it also pulls on their skin. So it's always best to pick apart any mats with your fingers, a seam ripper or the end of a comb first. You hold the skin down with a couple of fingers, grip the bottom of the mat with the thumb and fore finger and pick apart with the other hand and fingers. Then you can start combing your cat out with a medium to wide tooth comb (depending on how dense the cats coat is. The more dense start with wide tooth) and work your way to a medium to fine tooth comb.

I have only used a fine-toothed comb on our Maine Coon kitten so far. I'll have to keep that in mind about starting with a wider comb when there might be snarls, but so far she hasn't had any tangles. I just wish I could figure out what to use to get the coat looking more fluffed up on show cats!

I have only used a fine-toothed comb on our Maine Coon kitten so far. I'll have to keep that in mind about starting with a wider comb when there might be snarls, but so far she hasn't had any tangles. I just wish I could figure out what to use to get the coat looking more fluffed up on show cats!

Do you blow dry? Blow them the opposite way of the hair growth. That helps to fluff them out. They also have volumizing products for cats. This site has some: Visions International

I have only used a fine-toothed comb on our Maine Coon kitten so far. I'll have to keep that in mind about starting with a wider comb when there might be snarls, but so far she hasn't had any tangles. I just wish I could figure out what to use to get the coat looking more fluffed up on show cats!

Eeeermmm Maine Coons aren't meant to be fluffed out. They're meant to have shaggy coats and the trade mark plumey tail! Bear in mind that there are two types of coat on Maine Coons - the tighter coat (may or may not produce the awesome mane/ruff) or the normal, more common coat which is slightly fluffier.

Not to hijack the thread, but how do you get a long hair cat who HATES being combed, to allow you to do it? Isaac doesn't get a whole lot of mats, but I know his coat would look awsome if I could comb it regluarly. He will let me gently comb his back, but his belly & under legs are where he is prone to mats. I try to be gentle, but if I even touch under his front legs with the comb he growls & sometimes nips. I usually end up cutting out mats to make the process as quick as possible. The hair under his legs & on his belly is very long, soft and fine downy kind of hair.

I know people say a comb is best, but my Maine Coons will only tolerate so much of the comb in one grooming session. I tend to find that what works best is to start with a massage brush like the Zoom Groom, which they absolutely love although it doesn't do anything for mats, just simply lifts loose hair and gives them a massage.

Then I move onto the slicker brush, which they also quite like, and that is quite good for under their belly and behind their ears. While I am using the slicker I am feeling for mats e.g. behind their front legs.

Finally I use the comb, and gently work at the tricky bits (behind front legs, back legs/tail area). I try to be gentle, and they're pretty good, though they don't tolerate it for long (Sheila runs off, Bruce attacks the comb). If you can use the comb with one hand and scratch behind the ears with the other, they sometimes forget you're combing them!

That's what works for me - I'm sure others have different/better ways!

Seeing all the different ages of maine coon my breeder had in her house, kittens are deffinately different from adults fluff wise. Their coat totally changes as they get older as their second coat comes in. And their tail doesnt get all big and fluffy until right at the end of kittenhood. So that would be why. How old is he/she?

i use a shed ender (i paid like $2 for it at big lots --- dont waste your money buying it from the infomercial), a zoom groom and a slicker brush. it just depends on their moods. patchy absolutely hates to be brushed but i think thats because she mats easily.

I have a couple long haired cats and have purchased a number of brushes over the years NONE OF WHICH could get through their thick coats which resulted in mats forming.

I recently purcahsed a rake brush for long haired cats and dogs at Zehrs (yes- Zehrs Food Store!). It was $4.99 and since then I have brushed out (no lies!) over a grocery bag full of hair from my cats!! I use this daily and am constantly getting out loose hair and it makes the cats coats so shiney and smooth and best of all it has reduced the number of mats!

I have seen these brushes in pet stores for triple the price! If you have a cat with long hair you will LOVE this brush and for $4.99 you can't go wrong!

Just thought I'd mention it

If only I had a Zehrs nearby (I've never even heard of one)...
My MC, JC, loves one of my hubby's boar bristle brushes -it's the only thing he'll tolerate - he really attacks all the other combs that I've tried, except for a couple of chinzy fine tooth combs from a pack that I got at the 99cents store. I would love to find another brush like the one we've been using - it works great at getting off that shedding winter coat!